Aslan's Scores (of the non-lady kind)

[Aslan]

Now, to confuse things further...I'll post scores that show the opposite of everything I've been complaining about for the last week....because; that's bowling!

Tuesday Pepsi Master's Trios: THS

Week 12

865 Series: 201 (clean)-246 (clean)-210-208 (clean)

In practice I kinda got the impression maybe I needed to move right of where I was trying to play rather than left. Last week I thought the ball was burning up...so I moved left, hit week, thought it was burning up, moved left, hit week, thought it was burning up, moved left, etc... Pretty soon I was way too far inside. So, this time I started out by moving 1:2 right...and making sure I projected the ball out vertically. The results were good, but I really felt like it still wasn't the best fit...so I switched to the Yeah Baby Sinful in frame 6.
X, 8 /, 9 /, X, 9 /, 9 /, 8 /, 9 /, X, X 8 -.

The YBS was working, as long as I projected it vertically. I was planning on just using it to get me by for 5 frames...but when you have the front 5, it's kinda hard to make a switch. I finally made a bad shot in the 7th and decided to make a move and a ball change in the 9th.
X, X, X, X, X, X, 7 /, 9 /, X, 8 / X.

The Special Ops was actually hitting very hard. I just was battling a combination of lane conditions that were changing and just making bad shots.
6 -, 8 /, X, 9 /, X, X, 8 1, X, X, X X 8.

Stuck with the Special Ops because it was working well. When I finally switched to the Force Pearl, it worked well...the lanes were just transitioning fast at that point and it was hard to stay ahead of it.
9 /, X, 8 /, X, 9 /, X, X, 9 /, 9 /, X 9 /.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 9.22 pins
Strikes: 53%
Spares: 85% picked up

Single Pin spares: 100% (10/10)
Most common single-pin leaves: 4-pin (4x)
Also left a single 5-pin, 6-pin, and 10-pin (2x each).

Multiple Pin spares: 70% (7/10)
Most common multi-pin leave: 3-6 and 6-10 (2x each)

Splits: 33% (1/3)

Average over 4 games: 216.25.
Average had I picked up all single-pin spares: n/a.

On the negative side, I actually lost 3 out of 4 of my head-to-head games and my scratch series to a kid that averaged about what I do and shot a 905 series. I scored a 246...he scored a 256. I scored a 210...he scored a 218. Etc...

On the positive side, obviously;

- I made my spares...second straight week of 100% on single-pin spares.
- Highest series this season...65 pins higher than my previous high.
- Almost had a 'clean 40'.

[boomer]

Does dropping a pin in the fill frame count to lose a clean game?

[Aslan]

Does dropping a pin in the fill frame count to lose a clean game?

I'm sure Bowl1820 can pull up the official rule, but I believe once you have the mark in the 10th, any fill shots don't matter. So, technically a X - - is still a clean frame...all be it a horrible one. I imagine X X 9 is a very common ending to a LOT of clean games.

Now, just to add some more commentary in Rob and my debate/discussion and how last night fits into the discussion:

There were actually a couple things to take note of last night that I 'think' would validate some of RobM's teachings/points. For example;

1) Much of my struggle last week seemed to be "preconceived notions" that I brought with me to the center. I was sure that what I was leaving was based on over-surfaced equipment and that I therefore had to either adjust my line vertically or move inside and lower my speed. It never occurred to me that there may just me more oil on the lane, or a wider pattern, or perhaps some type of environmental factor causing the lanes to play slicker or thicker. I didn't even "try" to move right when I was in practice...because everything was working in practice!

Now, Rob and I don't disagree on preconceived notions in theory...we tend to disagree in 'practice'. I simply believe a prepared bowler must have some preconceived notions...even at the risk of occasionally (as I was last week) having those preconceptions being wrong. The risk of having NO preconceptions is what I sometimes refer to as the "RobM Chaos Theory" where we just close our eyes, grab a random ball from a choice of every ball available, stand in a random place on the approach, and start rolling dice and flipping coins to see how many steps we'll take and what release we'll use. And hopefully, we'll make a perfect shot every shot in practice...and we can limit the 1,944 combinations down to the combination we'll need that night...at least to start with.

But, in THEORY...Rob and I are in agreement. My refusal to even "consider" that the line I was playing might not be correct...or that the reason I wasn't hitting strong might be due to the line and not the surface...those presumptions early on last week...when using a progression method...leads to a cascade of failure. One mistake compounds into another and into another. I keep getting deeper and deeper...making worse and worse ball changes...but thinking I'm making better ball changes. It's like a plane adjusting altitude based on a faulty reading. The more I adjusted based on the wrong input, the worse it got.

2) Rob often touts moving inside. And yes, it gets old. But, if you look at what happened to me tonight...as good as my scores were...I LOST 4 out of 5 points and my team LOST 11 out of 21. And that was largely due to something RobM would have warned me against. What you ask?

Well, it's a 3-man league...one bowler on each team was a lefty...so we can ignore them because lefties are ignorable.

Me and my anchor are both speed-dominant bowlers and we both play right around the 8-board...up and in. Our opponents...mine and his...were higher rev...Rev-dominant bowlers. His opponent was a cranker that was standing well left and playing the 11-board. My opponent was a 2-hander standing fairly left of us and playing the 10-15 area.

Why this is significant is...and I 'think' Rob will agree...is that our (RH) opponents had their lines essentially to themselves. Meanwhile, me and my opponent were on top of one another all night. Now, it was just the two of us and I adjusted as needed...but still.

By the time I got to the 10-11 area...I ran into their anchor's line...which meant I had to adjust even more. By then, their anchor was struggling...partly because I was starting to mess with his line and partly because he was running into his teammate's line.

Meanwhile, MY opponent...the guy that shot a 905...despite having an average not much higher than mine...he never had anyone near him the whole night. He struggled in Game 1 trying to find his line...but once he was dialed in...it was something like 256-218-249. His only limitation was if he made a bad shot and his hit or miss spare shooting when he switched to one-handed to pick up corner-pins. Nobody ever got out to the 13-board...so he really had his area to himself the whole night.

Now again, the disagreement between RobM and I isn't in theory...it's in practice. I recognize that my inability to move inside is a limitation. Just like my inability to shoot single-pins at 95% is a limitation. I have LOTS of bowling limitations. I just don't know how to solve that limitation without drastically changing my game...and potentially destroying it. Like, I think I could strike more if I switch to 2-handed bowling...and maybe it'd be easier on my knee. But, do I wanna make that change now? In 2014 I didn't even really know how to bowl properly at all. Now I'm averaging in the 180s and doing pretty good. Do I stay the course and try to get to that next level? Or do I tear it down and start over?

As a speed-dominant bowler, moving inside is really tough. Trying to develop an outside game (2-4 board) is difficult because of the accuracy...but at the end of the day it's really just about accuracy. Developing an inside game is harder. For example:

A) Some people teach that you walk straight but open your shoulder to give you angle. Others teach that you walk towards your target.

B) Once you get far enough inside, some people have said that you need to change you target...the simple 1:2, 1:1, 2:3...doesn't work anymore or you end up throwing the ball in the gutter. Your target has to move inwards or become an area downline.

C) Once you get inside, many have mentioned have to reduce speed..especially for speed-dominant bowlers with speed-dominant arsenals to try and get that ball to hit the pocket properly.

So, the move inside, at least from my recent attempts...has not been simple. I started working on it with a couple coaches back in 2017...but there were so many things in my basic game that needed attention...it was kinda like trying to learn how to drive a bus when I still needed to learn how to drive a car.

So, it's not that I'm not open to the idea...and I understand the value of range...and I understand the modern bowling value of being inside...it's just not a skill that easy for a speed-dominant bowler...especially an inexperienced one like me...to pick up.

I remember when I first started bowling in 2014, on wood lanes. I was lofting the fronts...lofting the ball a good 10-15ft. When I switched to synthetics, I was averaging < 140. Rob might remember that, because he had to teach me to "roll" the ball. It sounds stupid now...but I had to actually learn how to "roll" the ball; not "throw" the ball...because the ball doesn't hook in the air. And on synthetic lanes...that ball wouldn't land and hook like it did on those old wood lanes. It just landed and skidded straight.

So, Rob may think I'm arguing with him sometimes...but I'm really not. I often take his advice (or at the very least consider it) when I'm bowling. It doesn't always work...but thats 50/50 because I'm not a good bowler. The key is trying to get Rob's 'theories' into 'practice'. Thats what I work on. I've used a LOT of his bowling ball knowledge over the years to help me understand how balls differ and do what they do. It amazes me how few bowlers know anything about bowling balls. But, a lot of the other stuff is still a work in progress. And yes, things like 'preconceived notions' and 'not being able to move inside of my opponent' DO actually bite me in the booty on certain league nights...as evident this week and last.

[Aslan]

Tuesday Pepsi Master's Trios: THS

Week 13

806 Series: 242 (clean)-161-164-239

Had to make some adjustments in practice, but then ended up with a decent line. Switched to the YBS in frame 6. Made 3 bad shots, and didn't strike 3 times...so I guess the difference between a perfect game and a non-perfect game is making perfect shots every time...or at least not making 'bad' shots.
X, X, X, X, 9 /, 7 /, X, X, 6 /, X X X.

The usual problem with the YBS is that when you usually lose the line...it's GONE...and there's nowhere to go and nothing you can do. Switched to the SpecialOps in frame 6...but the new, polished surface I put on it didn't seem to be helping much. And, obviously missing my first two single-pins in 3 weeks didn't help. Lost to my opponent by two points.
8 1, X, X, 9 /, 9 /, 9 /, 8 1, 9 -, 9 -, X 7 /.

The Special Ops was brutally bad. I switched to the Pyramid Force Pearl in frame 6...but the lanes had transitioned and I needed to make a slight adjustment to move inside. Two of the 3 opens were splits.
X, 7 -, 5 4, 7 /, 9 /, 9 /, X, 8 /, 6 2, X X 9.

Things came together in Game 4. I made 3 mistakes...but this time one of the mistakes struck brooklyn...so 3 mistakes cost me a perfect game again. A slightly lower score than Game 1 due to the open in the 7th.
X, X, X, X, X, X, 6 1, X, 8 /, X X 9.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 9.00 pins
Strikes: 53%
Spares: 60% picked up

Single Pin spares: 75% (6/8)
Most common single-pin leaves: 10-pin (5x)
Also left a single 4-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 50% (6/12)
Most common multi-pin leave: 2-4-5 and 6-10 (2x each)

Splits: 0% (0/4)

Average over 4 games: 201.50.
Average had I picked up all single-pin spares: 206.75.

A couple games with 9 strikes...just need to eliminate those few mistakes.

Also need to figure out how to use the Lane Masters YBS and 900 Global Special Ops.

Seems to be some "potential" here...not able to put it together yet.

[J Anderson]

Aslan, this is not 1980 when you had to hit your mark at exactly the right speed and just the right amount of lift and loft to get a strike. It’s 2021 and as the late Mo Pinel would say, bowling is all about standing in the right spot with the right ball for the lane you’re on. Forget about trying to be perfect. Watch what your ball does and adjust accordingly assuming you threw it “good enough”. When you’re practicing is when you want to focus on perfecting things so that all the elements of your physical game become automatic.
This might sound harsher than I intend, but when you use the word perfect three times in a post it seems like you might be too focused on trying to throw it perfectly. Nice bowling!

[Aslan]

Aslan, this is not 1980 when you had to hit your mark at exactly the right speed and just the right amount of lift and loft to get a strike. It’s 2021 and as the late Mo Pinel would say, bowling is all about standing in the right spot with the right ball for the lane you’re on. Forget about trying to be perfect. Watch what your ball does and adjust accordingly assuming you threw it “good enough”. When you’re practicing is when you want to focus on perfecting things so that all the elements of your physical game become automatic.
This might sound harsher than I intend, but when you use the word perfect three times in a post it seems like you might be too focused on trying to throw it perfectly. Nice bowling!

See, thats one of the things I've been wondering about lately. It seems like...for me...I DO have to bowl perfectly...or I don't strike. I don't have the "miss room" that others seem to enjoy. If I'm off a 'little'...it's a 10-pin. If my speed drops even a half mile per hour or I get just a little too much hand into the shot...I either leave a 4-pin or go through the nose. If I miss my target right...I leave a washout or 2-5. So, I almost have to be perfect every shot or I'm out.

[J Anderson]

See, thats one of the things I've been wondering about lately. It seems like...for me...I DO have to bowl perfectly...or I don't strike. I don't have the "miss room" that others seem to enjoy. If I'm off a 'little'...it's a 10-pin. If my speed drops even a half mile per hour or I get just a little too much hand into the shot...I either leave a 4-pin or go through the nose. If I miss my target right...I leave a washout or 2-5. So, I almost have to be perfect every shot or I'm out.

I suffer a bit from this myself. Part is a mental carry over from the thirty years that I only bowled in one league where there were only trophies, no cash to be won, and throwing straight, carrying a 160 something average was respectable. The good side of this is that I don’t get upset when I leave a stone 8 pin. The bad part is that I probably tighten my swing way too much when I miss my mark.

The other part is that my physical game is still tuned more toward going parallel with the boards rather than swinging the ball out.

[Aslan]

Tuesday Pepsi Master's Trios: THS

Week 14

732 Series: 173-190-201-168

I tried to reduce my speed to be able to use the Optimus Solid...but after 4 frames it was clear that ball was just NOT going to work...so I switched to the Yeah Baby Sinful a little earlier than I prefer to in a 4-game night.
X, 6 /, 7 2, 8 1, 8 /, 8 /, X, 9 /, X, 7 / X.

This game was more of the same. Not particularly good execution...but I made shots when I needed to and stayed ahead of my opponent who was struggling MIGHTILY tonight.
7 1, 3 /, X, 6 2, 3 /, X, X, 9 /, X, X 8 1.

Switched to the Special Ops in Frame 6. Still a frustrating and disappointing ball to throw. As mentioned in the previous post...the shot has to be perfect to strike...otherwise it's a 4-pin or a 10-pin. Another head-to-head win though...against an opponent that was getting QUITE frustrated at this point.
X, 9 /, X, X, 7 1, X, X, 9 /, X, 9 / 9.

Switched to the Force Pearl in Game 4 and was pretty confident that I'd finish with my first sweep of in quite awhile and my first sweep of a superior opponent (approximately +21 average). After such a strong night of spare shooting...and a perfect season shooting 9-pins...I missed 2 9-pins and then completely whiffed on a 6-10 in the 10th.
X, X, X, 6 3, X, 9 -, 8 /, X, 9 -, 8 -.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.65 pins
Strikes: 46%
Spares: 54% picked up

Single Pin spares: 71% (5/7)
Most common single-pin leaves: 10-pin (3x)
Also left a single 4-pin and 9-pin (2x each).

Multiple Pin spares: 46% (7/15)
Most common multi-pin leave: 1-2-3-4-5-7-8 and 6-10 (2x each)

Splits: 0% (0/4)

Average over 4 games: 183.00.
Average had I picked up all single-pin spares: 188.00.

Not a great night in that it was sub-800...no clean games...I missed TWO single 9-pins...and I had to really work just to pull out what I did.

On the other hand, I took 3 out of 4 head-to-head points and won total 732 to 731. About time I WIN by a point rather than LOSE by a point...which I think I've done 3 times this season.

One thing I've finally come to terms with is that the Special Ops is not the ball I thought it was. I kept thinking it was a stronger ball than the specs indicated because of all the hype and video reviews...but it simply isn't a very strong ball. It's taken me this long to trust the specs and accept that. Now that I accept that, I can comfortably throw it up the outside line and not worry it's going to over-react...and I'm not tempted to adjust my line to a more aggressive angle. Sometimes we hold onto an "idea" of what we want a ball to be, rather than what a ball IS.

Our team's goal wasn't to finish last. And with the 13 (of 21) points we got against a better team tonight...we almost certainly won't be finishing in last place.

[J Anderson]

Sounds like you were on a tough pair. I think bowlers sometimes forget that it’s a game and the point is to beat your opponent, not hit your average or some other arbitrary number like 200. Looks like a good night from here, well except for the two missed single pin spares and the whiffed 6-10.

[Aslan]

Sounds like you were on a tough pair. I think bowlers sometimes forget that it’s a game and the point is to beat your opponent, not hit your average or some other arbitrary number like 200. Looks like a good night from here, well except for the two missed single pin spares and the whiffed 6-10.

It's funny that you say that...because it's my least favorite pair and the pair I consistently do bad on. I try not to let that kinda stuff bother me...but there are two pair in that house that I dread bowling on...and that is the worst of the two.

The second worst...I got last night...

Tuesday Pepsi Master's Trios: THS

Week 15 Position Round

781 Series: 140-190-184-267 (clean)

There's almost no point in posting Games 1-3. You can't win if you can't make single-pin spare conversions. This was pathetic and embarrassing. I won the point because I was bowling against someone scratch that I had +77 average against...but I nearly lost due to this nonsense. I mean, can I blame the humidity and having to switch to a #10 sliding sole? Maybe a "little"...because I definitely wasn't used to that and was sliding all over the place. But still. This cost me 43 pins! Unacceptable.
6 /, 8 /, X, 9 -, 9 -, X, 9 -, 8 -, 9 -, X 7 /.

This game was more of the same. Not AS bad. But, not 'good'. This is what happens when you CAN'T CARRY. You then HAVE TO convert spares. If I could carry, I wouldn't be forced to make spares. Or, if I was in the $&#^ no-tap league on the 2 lanes next to us...I could just count them as strikes...like a little girl or elderly person. But, nope...I gotta play "big boy bowling" and actually convert spares. Stupid "big boy" bowling.
X, X, X, 9 /, X, 9 -, 9 -, 9 /, 8 /, 7 / 9.

Carry was such an issue, that I had already switched to the Force Pearl at this point. I had no choice. The Optimus Solid was not even worth using after frame 1. The Spec Ops was the usual waste of time that it is. The only 'good' thing about this game is both multi-pin non-conversions were splits...so the only 'bad' open was the 10-pin in the 10th. At this point...missed single pins had cost me a MINIMUM of 68 pins. MINIMUM.
X, X, X, 8 /, 8 1, X, X, 7 -, 9 /, 9 -.

And...then the Force Pearl (or as I've nicknamed it...the "Grey Ball of Fire")...decided to give me ONE good game...
8 /, X, X, X, X, X, X, 9 /, X, X X 8.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 9.11 pins
Strikes: 47%
Spares: 52% picked up

Single Pin spares: 36% (4/11)
Most common single-pin leaves: 10-pin (6x)
Never left a single 1-pin, 2-pin, 3-pin, nor 8-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 70% (7/10)
Most common multi-pin leave: 1-2 (2x)

Splits: 0% (0/3)

Average over 4 games: 195.25.
Average had I picked up all single-pin spares: 214.25.

It was just a bad night from the beginning. It was CRAZY humid here yesterday...so my usual sole/heel combination didn't work. That meant a last minute change...which meant I needed to get used to a #10 sole with #8 heel edge...VERY slick. So, the first couple games I was trying to keep my horizontal stability under control while also trying not to slide over the foul line.

And, I just don't have a good arsenal right now. I'll go into more detail in another thread...but the hopes I had for this arsenal have so far this summer been a huge, huge disappointment. I think I'm gonna be stuck with this arsenal bowling even further outside than I have been with my previous arsenals...which is the opposite of what I was hoping for...which is to find a way to move inside and take advantage of more of the oil.

I tried to look at this 267 game versus my 268 game and my other 3 267 games...to see if there are any similarities...I couldn't find anything (other than this):

- None of my high games were Game #1.
- In none of my high games did I strike out in the 10th.
- In all of my high games, I struck in the 2nd through 7th frames.

- In 4 out of 5 of my high games, I was clean.
- In 4 out of 5 of my high games, I struck in the 8th frame.
- 4 out of 5 of my high games were 267s. The other was a 268.

- In most of my high games, my first shot in the 10th was not a strike.
- Most of my high games were Game #2 of 3.
- Most of my high games I did not strike in the 1st frame.
- Most of my high games were bowled in California.
- Most of my high games were during Spring/Summer season.

All 5 were different bowling balls:
- 10/22/2015, Brunswick Lethal Revolver, AMF Carter Lanes, Fullerton CA
- 10/28/2016, Radical Reax Pearl, Linbrook Bowling Center, Anaheim CA
- 4/21/2017, Hammer Scandal Pearl, Linbrook Bowling Center, Anaheim CA
- 5/15/2019, Ebonite Warning Sign, Great Escape Bowling Center, Pleasant Hill IA
- 8/10/2021, Pyramid Force Pearl, Great Escape Bowling Center, Pleasant Hill IA